AARP POSTS INFO ON LEGISLATION IN FL

In a January AARP survey, eight of 10 older Floridians said rising utilities costs were a concern.

Rather than listening, Florida lawmakers plan to let the phone company raise your rates at will! Under two bills now speeding through the Florida Legislature (Senate Bill 1524 or House Bill 1231), Florida consumers of all ages could face large increases in basic landline telephone service.

Call now – while you can still afford to! Big phone companies are applying heavy pressure. Faced with rows of phone-company lobbyists, legislators in one committed voted 23-0 for these flawed bills.

The legislation would wipe away the powers of the Florida Public Service Commission (PSC) to rein in phone-company rates. Who’d decide whether your rates should go up for basic landline service? The governor? Lawmakers? No . . . the phone company itself!

Only you can stop this legislation. Call 1-888-222-4121 toll-free to discuss Senate Bill 1524 or House Bill 1231 with your legislator.

To learn more, please join us on a Tele-Townhall phone call at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, April 20. Register for the Tele-Townhall by sending an email to flaarp@aarp.org by tomorrow, Friday, April 15. Please INCLUDE YOUR PHONE NUMBER in the email.

Or go to www.action.aarp.org/fl to send messages to your state legislator about these bad bills. Please also pass this message along to friends and neighbors. We need everyone’s voice!

AARP fights to keep consumers’ utilities rates fair and stable. In 2010, working with you and millions of other Floridians, we beat back proposals to raise electric-utility rates by a whopping $1.6 billion. Now we’re fighting phone companies – and your help is vital. Call 1-888-222-4121 and ask your legislator to oppose Senate Bill 1524 or House Bill 1231.